Control apparatus



a. w. UPP

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21 1940 March 28, 1,944.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 28, 1944 CONTROL APPARATUS George W. Upp, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The Midland Steel Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 21, 1940, Serial No. 353,495

13 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in station control apparatus by which a plurality of devices ar operated from a single point remote from the devices.

An important object of the invention is to provide a structure in which a multiplicity of control valves can be conveniently mounted in the smallest possible space and in such position as to be most conveniently operated by a single operator.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a novel operating lever or handle for valve manipulation which can be conveniently maintained in various positions to retain the valve in adjusted positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bank of juxtaposed pairs of valves mounted and connected with their operating levers in a manner that any pair of valves can be easily demounted and disconnected from its operating lever without disturbing the rest of the group of valves.

Another object of the invention is to provide an economical stand for the bank of valves which is slotted for the requisite movement of operating levers, and is provided with guide members for taking the wear which would otherwise be imposed upon the light gauge stand.

A still-further object of the. invention i to provide a stand into which is built a valve support which adds strength to the construction of the light gauge stand which forms aremovable mounting for the valves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting or stand for all of the controls of a shovel or digger and which can readily be mounted as a unit in the cab of a shovel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view looking at the front of the unitary stand connecting all necessary parts of the control valves and handles,

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the stand,

Fig. 3 is a top plan of the "same,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section of the top of th stand taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section to one of the control valves carried by. the stand,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse'sectionthrough the top of the stand taken on the line 6-6 of Fi 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, which is designed for the easier, more positive and quicker operation of the usual poweroperated shovel controls by means of air under greater pressure than atmospheric pressure, the numeral l0 designates a unitary control station in its entirety. This station comprises a stand which is built separate and independent of the power operated shovel and its controls and is to be installed as a unit in a, limited space and connected to the various shovel controls by flexible hose connections to air operated actuators of the usual construction. These actuators, not shown, are operated by air under pressure by the operating levers A for the swing and propel mechanism; B for the jaw clutches of the swing and propel mechanism; C for the crowd and retract mechanism; D for the steering mechanism, E forthe hoist mechanism; F for the boom hoist mechanism; G for the engine clutch; H for the swing brake mechanism and I for the propel brake mechanism. These various mechanisms are standard on power shovels and are well understood by those skilled in the art. All five levers A to E inclusive extend vertically through and operate longitudinally in individual transverse slots in the top l2 of the unitary stand. The lever F for the boom hoist extends horizontally from the front of the stand as shown. Snap action valves G, H and I are secured to one side of the stand adjacent the top and are arranged one above the other in vertical alignment so that their operatin handles are disposed beyond the front of the stand and closely adjacent to the operators station within convenient reach to be rapidly operated by hand. These valves G, H and I each have two operative positions, one normally open to exhaust air pressure from its respective actuator and another positioned to supply air pressure thereto; the valve handle being accelerated from one position to another by a toggle snap action valve mechanism such as is shown in the Almond application Serial No. 255,713. Each valve handle A to F, with the exception of handle E for the hoist mechanism, simultaneously operates a pair of cylindrical air control valves I3 and I4; opening the valve to allow air pres sure to pass to One end of an actuator, while simultaneousl closing the other valve to exhaust the other end of the actuator upon each unidirectional movement of the handle from its nor mal central neutral position. Thus, there are I4 valves and the operating handles to mount in a very restricted space in the cab of the shovel in a manner which will not confuse the operator with the nine closely disposed operating handles. Moreover, since these various valves must be operated in equal degrees with sufiicient leverage to ease their operation over extensive periods, the design of the entire structure is influenced and the problem becomes primaril one of arrangement and mechanical movement to achieve the specified objects.

The stand comprises a narrow elongated channel-shaped top l2 with a rear depending flange I5 and a front depending flange H3. The slots H in this top extend transversely of its length and are relatively wide as compared to the size of the levers A to E, whereby each may be moved transversely of its slot as well as lengthwise thereof. Since the gauge of the top I2 is relatively thin, a heavy gauge guard and guide plate I! is secured to extend over at least one longitudinal edge of each slot to form a sliding surface with which the lever engages and imposes all Wear. These plates have edges of varying contours; some being notched and shorter than the slots for retaining the levers in various operative positions, while others have no notches and are perfectly parallel throughout with respect to the slot edges. The plates i! for levers B and D form the slots in the shape of the letter E with an intermediate neutral and two end notches into which the levers can be moved to cause their respective operations.

The top I2 is supported a substantial distance above the floor of the cab by a pair of side legs I3. These are of channel-shaped cross section with their rear flanges I 9 extending inwardly and secured to the outer face or" the rear top flange I5 by means of bolts 28, while the inwardly extending front flanges 2i, are secured to the inner face of the front top flange it by means of fastenings 22. To the flanges of both legs are secured triangular angle iron feet 23 by which the stand can be securely bolted to the floor.

For mounting the valves l3 and i i close under the top I2, an angle bar 2 1 having its flanges disposed at about 45 degree angles to a horizontal plane is secured at its ends to the two legs 18 at approximately their vertical middles. To the upper flange are secured a plurality of juxtaposed valve supports or brackets 23 so closely disposed together that they abut and conjointly form an inclined partition. Each bracket 25 is of channel shaped cross section and has an intermediate portion 26 arranged between the angular ends 21 and 28 which are disposed at obtuse angles to one another whereby the upper end 2! can be secured in a vertical plane to the top rear flange I5 by means of the bolt 2%, and the lower inclined end 28 extends at an angle of about 45 degrees to be secured in inclined relation to the bar 24 by means of bolts 29. Thus, the brackets 25 can be removed individually. To the upper vertical end 2'! of each bracket is secured a horizontal cylindrical valve I3 with its valve stem 13 extending horizontally and inwardly under the top I2, since a cylindrical part of the valve casing extends through an opening in the brackets to be bolted thereto by the bolts 6%. A lower identical valve E4 of each pair is secured to the inclined end 28 of each bracket in the same manner, with its valve stem I4 extending upwardly and inwardly under the top I2. The two valve stems thus converge into close proximity to each other to terminate adjacent the longitudinal center of th top 42 and be disposed reasonably close thereto. Extending from the intermediate part 26 of each bracket is a fulcrum post 30, at such angle as to dispose its free bifurcated end close to the ends of the valve stems l3 and I4.

The lower end of each operating lever extends through its respective slot I I and terminates in a forked end 3| in which is pivoted a lever 32 on a pivot 33 which extends parallel to the longitudinal edges of the slot through which the lever extends. Thus, the levers A to E can beswung upon their respective pivots 33 transversely of their respective slots into the notches provided by the wear plates I'i against the tension or a spring 3 which is wound about the ends of the pivot so that the intermediate portion 35 of the spring abuts the lever 32 while the free ends of the spring abut the forkedend 3! to normally urge it out of its lateral notch, whereupon the springs in the valves I3 and M, which will be presently more fully described, automatically return the levers A to E back to their central neutral positions in the slots II. This is due to the fact that the lower end of each lever 32 is bifurcated and terminates in an angular end fulcrumed on a fulcrum pin 36 between the arms of each bifurcated po-st30, the upper valve stem I3 being pivoted as at 31 in the fork of the lever 32 above the fulcrum 36, while valve stem HI is pivotally connected as at 38 in the fork of the lever 32 below the fulcrum 36. Each of the levers A to D have similar connections with their respective pairs of valves, but the lever F for the boom hoist has a slightly different arrangement as shown in Fig. 6. This boom hoist lever F has no lateral movement for latching at the limit of either of its movements and is simply fulcrumed to its bifurcated post 30 on a pin similar to 36 and is provided with a pair of integral lever arms 39 and 40 extending from opposite sides thereof to be pivotally connected to the valve stems I3 and I4 respectively. Thus, the boom hoist lever F is returned to a central neutral position by the springs of the valves i3 and I4 as soon as pressure on this lever is released by the operator.

In order to supply all of the valves with. a fluid medium under pressure, a common supply manifold 4| having an inlet 42 from the source of supply, comprises an elongated horizontal hollow member rectangular in section, loosely suspended jointly by means of pieces of flexible tubing connected with each of the valves I3, I4, G, H and I. All of these pieces of tubing are connected to the manifold and individual valves by quick detachable couplings as illustrated and all of the pieces of tubing which connect with the upper valves I3 are designated by a letter with a prime coefllcient corresponding to the letter of the lever which controls that particular valve. Likewise, the pieces of flexible tubing which connect with the lower Valves I4, are designated with the same letter as the lever which controls the particular valve with a coeflicient 2 added to such letter. The pieces of tubing which connect the valves G, H and I with the manifold are given corresponding letters with a prime coefficient added thereto. Thus, the common manifold is flexibly suspended from the valves and may, if desired, be secured to any portion of the cab of theshovel which proves convenient; the flexible tubing permitti'ngquite a degree of flexibility of connection in this. direction. It will be seen that it is only necessary to make one connection 42 withthe supply .to connect the multiplicity of valves with the source of supply on the shovel,

As all of the control valves I3 and I4 are of the same description, a description of onewill suffice for all. Each of these valves is composed primarily of a pair of casing sections 43 and 44 secured together by bolts 45 to clamp 'therebetween a diaphragm 46 which divides the casing into an application chamber 41 and an exhaust chamber 48. A port 49 extends into the application chamber 47 for connection with the device to be operated while a. port 50 extends into the exhaust chamber 48 to exhaust the air pressure to the atmosphere when the valve returns to normal position in which it is shown in Fig; 5. A plunger is slidably mounted in the casing section 43 to house a compression spring 52, one end of which abuts the bottom of the plunger while the other end engages a sliding cap 53 with a. depression therein to loosely recelve the inner end 54 of the valve stem I3. The inner end of the plunger is provided with an axial tubular neck 55 which extends through .the center of the diaphragm 46 and is clamped thereto in air tight fashion by a nut 56 on one side and a washer 51 on the other side which is adapted to abut with the valve casing section 43 to limit the outward movement of the plunger 5|. The inner end of the tubular neck 55 is bored transversely across the bore to form a passage 58 which communicates with the exhaust chamber 43. The innermost end of the tubular neck 55 terminates in an outlet valve seat 59. This valve seat is held in its extreme outward position by means of a coil spring 69 disposed in chamber 4'! to abut a wall of the casing section 44 and the diaphragm washer. Thus, the valve seat 59 is held in spaced relation to an inlet valve having a head 62 disposed within the chamber 41. The valve casing section 42 is also provided with an inlet chamber 63 which has a port 64 connected by means of the flexible tubing with the common manifold 4| to supply the valve with the fluid medium under pressure. A partition 65 separates the chambers 41 and 63 and is provided with an opening having an inlet valve seat 66 throughwhich an inlet valve 61 extends. This inlet valve 6'! within the chamber 63 is provided with a valve disk 68 adapted to be normally held upon the seat 66 by means of a coil spring 69 normally pressing upon a tubular member '19 secured to the valve stem for holding the valve disk 68. This tubular member is slidably mounted in a tubular guide ll formed integral with the partition 65. Thus, it will be seen that when any of the levers A to F are operated, the valve stem l3 will tension the spring 52, thereby moving the plunger 5! to engage the valve seat 59 with valve disk 62, to first cut oil the exhaust port 50 and immediately thereafter open the inlet valve by forcing valve 68 off of its seat 66 against the tension of spring 69 thereby permitting fluid under pressure to enter chamber 41 and pass through the application port 29 to the device to be controlled. Release of pressure on the valve stem l3 will permit all three springs 52, 6| and 69 to return all valve parts to their original normal positions shown in Fig. 5 and at the same time permit the springs 52 and GI to return the operating levers to a normal neutral centralized position.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the unit will be obvious. It will of course be understood that various changes in the size, shape and relation of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A control station comprising a stand having a top and a supporting bar joining said sides at a substantial distance beneath said top, and a plurality of removable angular valve supports connected to said bar and to the top and serving to partially enclose a portion of the stand beneath said top.

2. A control station comprising a stand having a slotted top and a pair of side legs, a supporting bar joining the side legs beneath said top, an angular valve support having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion secured to said supporting bar and a vertical portion secured to said top, a pair of valves one of which is mounted upon said inclined portion and the other upon said vertical portion, and an operating lever ex tending through said slotted top and connected to said pair of valves.

A control station comprising a stand having a slotted top and a pair of side legs, a supporting bar joining the side legs beneath said top, an angular valve support having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion secured to said supporting bar and a vertical portion secured to said top, said support having a horizontal fulcrum post, a pair of valve casings, each having a valve stem, one of said casings being mounted upon said inclined portion and the other upon said vertical portion with their valve stems converging, an operating lever extending through said slotted top and having a bell crank end fulcrumed upon said post and pivotally connected on opposite sides of said post to said converging valve stems.

4. A control station comprising a stand having a slotted top and a pair of side legs, a plurality of valves arranged in vertical pairs beneath said top, an operating lever for each pair of valves extending through said vertical top, said operating levers being of different lengths to extend different differences above said top, and a plurality of valves secured in vertical alignment to one side leg of the stand adjacent the top of the forward end thereof and projecting beyond the front of said stand.

5. A control station comprising a stand having a top and pair of side legs, a supporting bar secured to said legs parallel with and spaced below said top, an angular partition having a lower iiiclined portion secured to said supporting bar and an upper vertical portion secured to said top to form a compartment with a closed back inthe upper portion of said stand, a pair of valves arranged one above the other in said compartment with one of the valves extending through the inclined portion of the partition andnthe other extending through thevertical portion thereof, and an operating lever extending through the top of the stand and operatively connected to the two valves. 1

6. A control station comprising a stand composed of a pair of side legs of channel section with their flanges extending inwardly toward one another, a top of channel section with its flanges depending therefrom and its rear flange secured to the inner surface of flanges of the side legs and its front flange secured to the front surface of the forward flanges of said side legs, a horizontal supporting bar secured to said side legs and spaced a distance beneath said top channel adjacent said forward flanges of said legs, a partition having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion secured to the rear flange of said top to .form a compartment in the top of said stand, a horizontal valve secured to said vertical portion of the partition, an upwardly inclined valve secured to said inclined portion of the partition, and a vertical lever extending through said top and connected to said valves for simultaneously operating the same,

7. A control station comprising a stand having a slotted top, with a notch at one end thereof, a pair of valves mounted in the stand one above the other beneath said slot, said valves each having a spring pressed stem, an operating lever extendingthrough said slot and fulcrumed within its axis parallel to the length of the slct whereby the upper end of said lever can be moved transversely of the slot and into said notch, and spring means associated with said pivotal joint for returning the upper end of the lever to normal position.

8. A control station comprising a support, a pairof valves mounted thereon and being spring returned to normal position, an operating lever fulcrumed on said support between said valves whereby the valves normally urge said lever to a neutral position, and said lever having an upper portion pivotedswith its axis parallel to the normal plane of movement of said lever and means cooperating with said portion and constructed and arranged to hold said portion of the lever in positions transverse of its normal plane of movement to retain the lever proper in any of various positions whereby said upper portion can be moved in a plane normal to the plane of movement of said lever to retain the same on either side of its neutral position to hold either valve in applied position.

9. A control station comprising a support including a top having a slot, a pair of valves arranged one above the other below said top and having stems reciprocable in a plane parallel to said slot, an oscillatory operating handle extending through said slot above said top for simultaneously operating said valves, said handle being mounted on a pivot arranged transversely of a said slot and having means connecting it to said pair of valves above and below its pivot, said handle having a portion pivoted on an axis parallelling said slot to swing transversely of the slot, and means cooperating with said portion of the handle constructed and arranged to lock the valve in adjusted position when said portion of the handle is swung transversely of the slot.

10. A control station comprising a support, a pair of valves mounted thereon and arranged one above the other, an operating lever fulcrumed on said support, and the lower end of said lever being pivotally connected to the lower valve, while the portion of said lever above its fulcrum is pivotally connected to the upper valve, and said lever having a pivotal joint therein whereby a portion of said lever can be swung transversely of its normal plane of movement and means cooperating with said portion and constructed and arranged to hold said portion of the lever in positions transverse of its normal plane. of movement to retain the lever proper in any of various positions. I

11. A control station comprising a support, a pair of valves mounted thereon and having spring pressed valve stems, anoperating lever fulcrumed on said support and being pivotally connected with said valve stems on opposite sides of said fulcrum whereby the springs of the valves normally tend to urge said stems to return the operating lever to a normal neutral position, a handle pivotally connected to said lever with its axis parallel to the plane of movement of said lever upon said fulcrum whereby the handle can be swung transversely of said plane, means cooperating with said handle and constructed and'arranged to retain said lever in other than neutral position when swung transversely of the plane of movement ofthe lever and spring means associated with'said pivot for urging said handle to a normal position in alignment with said lever.

12. The control station comprising a support, a pair of spaced valves mounted thereon, an oper# ating lever fulcrumed on said support and connected to said valves, a handle pivotallyconnected tosaid lever with its axis parallel to the plane-of movement of said lever upon said fulcrum whereby the handle can be swungtransversely of said p1ane, means constructed and arranged for retaining said handle in a position out of alignmentwith said lever to lock the lever in adjusted position and means for normally urging said handle to a normal position in alignment with said lever, but yieldable to permit swinging of the handle transversely of the plane. of movement of said lever to cooperate with said first named means.

13. A control station comprising a support, a pair of valves mounted thereon with their valve stems converging at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, an operating lever terminating in a bell crank the elbow of which is fulcrumed between said valves on an axis transverse to the axes of said valves, pivotal connections between said valve stems and said b'ell crank at points equi-distant and on opposite sides of saidffulcrum, and a handle for adjusting said valves pivotally connected to said lever on an axis parallel to the plane of movement of said lever upon said fulcrum whereby said handle can operate said lever or be operated independently thereof to coact with means constructed and arranged to retain said handle in adjusted positions.

GEORGE W; UPP. 

